Device for inserting medicaments into the body by iontophoresis



Patented July 24, 1934 UNITED STATES DEVICE FOR INSERTING MEDICAMENTS INTO THE BODY BY IONTOPHORESIS Desider Deutsch, Budapest, Hungary, assignor to the firm Schering-Kahlbaum Aktiengesellschaft, Berlin, Germany No Drawing. Application September 4, 1931, Serial No. 561,312. In Germany June 17, 1931 3 Claims.

My invention relates to a device for inserting medicaments into the human or animal body by means of iontophoresis It is known to insert medicaments into the body by iontophoresis. To this end the medicament is put on the skin in fluid state and covered with an electrode connected to one pole of a direct current source while the other pole of said current source is connected to another electrode being in contact with any other part of the body. Thus the current flowing through the electrode and the medicament inserts the latter through the skin into the body. Instead of putting the medicament directly upon the skin it is also known to impregnate a pad of cotton-wool with the medicament and to lay this pad under the one electrode upon the skin. Both methods have several disadvantages. Owing to the poisonous effect of most medicaments if taken in greater quantities or stronger concentration than allowed, the physician must not give them into the hands of the patient but has to perform the iontophoresis himself. That is even true with the treatment of frequently appearing pains wanting repeated iontophoresis like rheumatism, so that the treatment is becoming very dear in spite of its simplicity and of the cheapness of the medicaments.

Moreover the known methods are very unthrifty even if performed by physicians, because usually there is put much more of the medicament upon the cotton-wool than necessary for one treatment and the surplus is getting lost since the same pad of cotton-wool can not be used another time. Besides it often happens that the patient gets burnt by the electric current if the electrode slides off from the wool-cotton and thus comes into direct contact with the skin.

One object of my invention is to provide means for performing the iontophoresis which can be used by everybody without danger of poisoning by the poisonous medicaments necessary therefor.

Another object is to provide a device for the said purpose by which the waste of medicaments is avoided. Another object is to prevent burning of the skin by the current.

My invention consists in a lining for the active electrode for the iontophoresis, said lining consisting of a material being impregnated with the necessary quantity of the medicament. This impregnated lining which may consist of filteringpaper, blotting-paper, textile fabric or the like can be given into the hand of the patient without scruple as wrong use of it is impossible so that the patient is thus enabled to cure his pains, for

example his rheumatism, himself. As the quantity of the medicament in the lining can be adjusted carefully there is no waste and each piece of the lining contains only as much of the medicament as necessary for one treatment. It is advantageous to mix the medicament with a disinfectant like thymol in order to prevent any decomposition of the medicament when storing for longer time. If the lining consists of the above named materials like paper or textile the water contained in the medicament will evaporate after the impregnation and the lining has to be moistened before use so as to make it conductive for the current. This is not necessary if the lining consists of hygroscopic material like hectograph-paste as in this case the lining remains damp permanently.

It is particularly advantageous to combine the lining with the electrode by providing it with a metallic covering serving as electrode. This covering may consist of a foil fastened to the lining or be produced on the lining by galvanoplastic depositing or by squirting. This combination of the lining with the electrode renders the performance of the iontophoresis very simple and easy, and makes it impossible to burn the patient since the electrode can never come into direct contact with the skin.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:

1. As an article of manufacture, for use in a device for inserting medicaments into the human or animal body by iontophoresis, a lining for the active electrode, said lining being impregnated with a quantity of the medicament substantially exactly sufiicient for a single treatment, said lining being substantially free of water capable of evaporating therefrom.

2. As an article of manufacture, for use in a device for inserting medicaments into the human or animal body by iontophoresis, a lining for the active electrode, said lining being impregnated with a quantity of the medicament substantially exactly suflicient for a single treatment, and a thin flexible metallic covering secured to said lining and constituting the active electrode.

3. As an article of manufacture, for use in a device for inserting medicaments into the human thin flexible metallic covering secured to said lining and constituting the active electrode, said metallic covering comprising a galvanoplastic deposit.

DESIDER DEUTSCH. 

